1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-speed cylinder apparatus and in particular, it relates to a cylinder apparatus in which a piston is reciprocally movable at high speed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, in a conventional unidirectional or bi-directional cylinder apparatus, working fluid on a discharge side is returned to a reservoir during the movement of a piston so as to allow smooth movement of the piston. However, if the working fluid on the discharge side is positively reused as working fluid for moving another piston, the pistons are moved synchronously, so that the stroke of the pistons is prolonged. Namely, the moving speed of the pistons as a whole is increased, thus resulting in reduction in time of one cycle (one reciprocal movement) and in enhancement of the productivity.
Moreover, the reuse of the working fluid on the discharge side makes it possible to reduce the amount of working fluid necessary to actuate the conventional cylinder apparatus, thus leading to reduction the capacity of a pump for feeding the working fluid. Consequently, the space for accommodating the apparatus and the energy necessary to actuate the cylinder apparatus can be advantageously reduced.
The inventor of the present invention has conceived an improved high-speed cylinder apparatus in which a movable cylinder having an inner cylinder element and an outer cylinder element is moved is provided and a piston of the outer cylinder element is moved by the working fluid discharged from the inner cylinder element.